FREE ME
by Klondike-Ninja
Summary: Team Kakashi finally finds Orochimaru's latest hideout and make a plan to catch Sasuke, but can they really get him? Will he even be there?
1. A New Beginning

WARNINGS: Slight Yaoi  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything in the story, save for the words. All characters, names, places, ect. belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

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**FREE ME  
**_Chapter I - A New Beginning  
By Klondike-Ninja  


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_

"Naruto, you _do_ know where we're going, right?" Sakura asked as the team of four moved swiftly through the trees.

"Sakura, it's Sasuke we're going after. Do you honestly think he'd go in the wrong direction?" Kakashi, the elected leader whispered.

Sakura smiled slightly. "Yeah. I guess you're right…" _I hope we find him… _she thought as she followed to orange-clad ninja in front of her.

"Sasuke-kun should be right ahead." Sai said, glancing at the book he held in one hand. "If we hurry, we could be there in ten minutes."

"Sai," Sakura whispered to him. "Don't say that! Now we have to-"

"SASUKE!" Naruto yelled, as he kicked of a tree branch, sending him faster through the dense forest.

"Oh… Great." Sakura muttered.

"Sakura, remember our plan if Sasuke isn't there."

"Right. You'll summon Pakkun to catch a scent, and Sai and I will hold Naruto down and send word to the Hokage about a search party."

"Very good. And if he is there?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. He enjoyed testing his old students, particularly Sakura. He hadn't told them the plan for actually catching Sasuke, yet, and decided it would help them more if they figured it out on their own.

"We'll have to keep Naruto from overreacting, and lure him back somehow." Sai guessed, but Sakura laughed darkly.

"No. Sasuke's not stupid. But if Naruto just charges at him, he'll blow the poor kid back and walk away." Sakura glanced at her sensei, and continued, knowing from the slight smile that she was on the right course. "We'd have to keep him from running long enough to get behind him and catch him… What if Naruto used his Rasen Shuriken to show Sasuke he was getting more powerful, but didn't use it enough to hurt him too bad? Then make him think that he went after Sasuke alone so they could fight, and when Sasuke believes him, you could grab his arms, sensei, so he can't use Chidori, and then knock him out?" She hated the thought of using violence against her old teammate, but she'd do anything to get Sasuke-kun back.

"Naruto!" Kakashi called. "Come here for a sec. We need to discuss battle tactics."

Finally, Naruto stopped, but he was getting impatient. "What's there to discuss? We see him, we catch him. But we gotta hurry, or he'll get away again!" He was about to turn and continue, but Kakashi caught his arm.

"Naruto, if we don't go in with a plan, he _will _get away again, no doubt. Now, please pay attention, because Sakura has an idea."

"Fine." Naruto sat on the tree and crossed his arms, but listened intently as Sakura relayed the plan.

"Sai, how much farther do we have?" Kakashi asked.

"About a kilometer and a half. But there's a ridge that we have to climb down once we get there." Sai rolled out a scroll, pointing at the corresponding areas.

"Okay. Naruto, you go ahead, and if you see Sasuke, make sure he thinks you're alone. If you don't see him, come directly back here. We'll follow up in about ten minutes, so try to get Sasuke into a fight and we'll get him when he's distracted." Sakura told them, tightening her gloves.

_You've really grown, Sakura… _Kakashi thought nostalgically. _I can't believe it's only been three years since you were my student…_

"Right. I'm going now." Naruto jumped up and headed into the trees. _Sasuke… Please be there… I don't think I can last any longer…_ he thought, pushing farther and faster.

"Now what?" Sai asked, watching after his comrade.

"Now, we wait." Kakashi sighed, sitting next to Sakura. "Sai, could you do me a favor and go scout for Orochimaru's lackeys on the ground. They'll likely be hanging around, training or something. I'll call you up when it's time."

"Alright." Sai said, jumping down through the branches.

"I'll go, too, so he has some backup." Sakura offered, standing.

"No, no. I need you here. To plan." Which wasn't completely true, but Sakura didn't have to know.

"Okay. What sort of planning?"

"Well, that plan you came up with was good, but not completely foolproof. It was a rough draft. For example, what would we do with him when we do manage to catch him? Sure, knock him out, but then what?"

Sakura thought for a moment, and then replied, "I guess we'll just have to work with the situation. I can't analyze like Shikamaru, you know."

Kakashi laughed at that, and said, "No. I s'pose you're right…"

"Sensei… What if he's not there…?" Her voice sounded empty then, as if it had lost all hope, and Kakashi put an arm around her, pulling her close.

"He'll be there." He promised, and she felt a little better. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, imagining the boy's face in front of her. Not the one with hate-filled eyes, the one who, she knew in her heart, would never feel anything close to love, for anyone, but the old Sasuke. The one she'd loved for years, and even now, still held a special place in her heart.

But the way she felt about him was different now. She didn't think of him as a boyfriend, but more as a brother, kind of like Sai. She knew she'd never love Sasuke again, but that didn't make her feel any worse, because she felt protected now, leaning into Kakashi like this.

It was nice…

"Sai, it's time!" Kakashi called down, breaking Sakura's line of thought, and she sat bolt upright, realizing at once what that scene might've looked like from the outside.

"Ready?" The Copycat ninja asked, and they both nodded, fists clenched.

_Sasuke…_

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_**Author's Notes:**_

This is the first fanfic I've uploaded here (As I usually put them on Deviantart) so I'm a bit of a Newfag. xDD  
Anyhoo, there will be lemons between both Sakura and Kakashi, as well as Sasuke and Naruto.  
So, if lemons, yaoi, or teacher/student relationships offend you, I suggest to not get too attached.

But who am I to tell you that? =D


	2. It Was Always You

WARNINGS: Slight Yaoi, slight language

PAIRINGS: KakaSaku, SasuNaru

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything in the story, save for the words. All characters, names, places, ect. belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

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**FREE ME  
**_Chapter II: It Was Always You.  
_By Klondike-Ninja

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_Sasuke… Please be there… I don't think I can last any longer… _The blond thought as he raced through the trees. He only had ten minutes before the others came to back him up, so he had to hurry.

He could see a clearing up ahead, and a drop in the land, just as Sai had said. _Good. Almost there. I'm coming, Sasuke._

He dropped down into the dustbowl, and gasped. The entire place was filled with rocks, but there was no sign of a hideout, or even a campsite.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called through his tears. _He's gone… Again._

"Damn it!" He spat, falling to his knees. But when he looked up, there was a shadow, the outline of someone walking toward him.

"Naruto." It said, in a cold, emotionless voice.

"… Sasuke?" He couldn't believe it. He wouldn't. It could be a Genjutsu, of course, to lure him in. After all, the Akatsuki had that power.

"I thought you might come." The raven-haired boy spoke. "Where are the others, then?"

"I-" He couldn't say anything about them, even if it was a Genjutsu. Because, though he didn't want to admit it, there was hope. A small light that flickered in the back of his mind. So, he spoke calmly as he stood. "I came alone. I'm going to fight you. And," He said, his voice full of certainty, "I'm going to win."

"Hnn." He smirked, cracking his neck. "You really think you can beat me? I've learned a lot in these last three years." The Curse Mark on the back of his neck glowed slightly as the black markings wound around his face.

"So've I." Naruto said, glaring daggers at his best friend.

"Well then, let's see who's learned more." He unsheathed the sword and swung it, using it's momentum to gain speed as he rushed at Naruto.

Sasuke didn't really believe that Naruto had come alone, because obviously, if he knew Sakura, she'd come as well, at least for backup.

But as he scanned the trees above, he didn't see anyone or anything.

"Sasuke, you've got to come back!" Oh, great. He was starting with that friendship bull.

Sasuke stopped mid-swing. "Spare me the tears. I won't come back. Not ever." He said solemnly.

Naruto looked down. "Yeah… I guess I knew all along… I didn't want to believe it, though. Neither did Sakura… But…" His voice faded, and Sasuke tilted his head.

"…But?" He prodded, eyebrow cocked.

"But… I missed you!" Naruto's head shot up, allowing Sasuke to see his tearstained face. "I missed you so much, Sasuke! You're the only reason I've been training so hard! It's all you…" He looked down again and wiped his eyes.

Sasuke, obviously, was taken aback. "I-"

"It's true, you know. Naruto's been completely obsessed with you." Kakashi laughed as he held down the Raven's hands. "Sai, help me out, over here."

"Yessir." Sai said, grabbing Sasuke's ankles. "Hi, Sasuke-kun." He smiled.

"C'mon, Naruto. Let's go." Sakura said, pulling at the blond's hand.

"Sakura, come here. I need your help, too."

Coming, sensei." She muttered as she helped Naruto up. She and Naruto closed their eyes hard as Kakashi knocked the boy out, then pulled him up on his back.

"Sensei… D'you mind if I carry him?" Naruto asked quietly.

Kakashi merely nodded, bending slightly so the boy could catch him.

They ran as fast as they could, but night hit before they were halfway home.

"C'mon, guys! What's wrong with running at night?" Naruto demanded, still carrying Sasuke on his back.

"Naruto, there are A-rank enemy ninja out, and we're carrying an unconscious bounty that's just asking to be kidnapped." Kakashi sighed. "I hate it as much as the next guy, but we can't travel at night like this."

"Why would there be enemy ninja out?" Naruto demanded, but he slowed, too.

"Naruto, everyone in the village knows about this mission, and it's probably gotten out by now. Sasuke-kun is a huge bounty to the thieves. And they've probably paid ninja or Missing Nin to capture him." Sakura reasoned.

"Fine." Naruto groaned, jumping to the ground. "Where's the closest inn at, Sai?"

_So, suddenly I'm the navigator?_ "East, about two kilometers." he sighed.

"Alright. But what do you guys propose we do about Sasuke?" Sakura asked, crossing her arms.

"Let's stay up in shifts, guarding him. And we'll need a bind of some sort." Kakashi suggested, pulling a chain out of his pouch.

"Sensei, do you always carry chains around with you?"

"Only when I'm with you guys, Sakura." Kakashi winked.

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**A/N:  
**Hay, guise~  
-whisperwhisper- The yaoi lemon scene is coming up next, so I suggest you get out now if you haven't already.  
Also, if anyone's actually reading this, reviews would be nice.

Just sayin'.


	3. I Can't Say It

**WARNINGS: Yaoi… Uhhh… Yeah. That's it. =D  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything in the story, save for the words. All characters, names, places, ect. belong to Masashi Kishimoto****

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FREE ME  
**_Chapter III - I Can't Say It...  
_By Klondike-Ninja

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"Sasuke-kun is to stay in Kakashi-sensei's room at all times, got it you guys?" Sakura told the boys as Kakashi continued to restrain the raven-haired boy.

"Sakura, you watch him first, then wake me up, and I'll watch him. Then Naruto, then Sai."

"Why can't I watch him first?" Naruto demanded, setting his jaw.

"Fine." Kakashi sighed. Naruto first, then Sakura, then me, then Sai. Okay?"

"What if Sasuke-kun wakes up?" Sai questioned, eyeing the boy.

Then wake me up, and I'll keep him out with Mangekyou. But I doubt that will happen. D'you remember that food pill I gave him earlier? It has a flower in it that puts a person to sleep." Kakashi looked pleased with himself as he stretched out on the futon the innkeeper had spread out for them.

Naruto sat, too, leaning back on the wall. He stared at Sasuke, trying to memorize his face. He looked so serene when he was asleep, almost as though he were still twelve, with nothing to worry about but the Chuunin exam.

"Well, goodnight then, Kakashi-sensei, Naruto…" Sakura bowed her head a little and left, looking back at Sasuke once more.

"Goodnight, Sakura-chan." Naruto called back, keeping his eyes on, well, the prize.

"Goodnight, Sakura, Sai." Kakashi said.

The two left, and Kakashi blew out the candle. He glanced over at Naruto, and sighed. "You really are glad that we found him, aren't you?" He spoke quietly.

"Yeah… You don't know the half of it." he added under his breath.

"I'm glad, too, you know. And so is Sakura."

"Yeah…"

Kakashi rolled over, pulling the _kakebuton_ over his head, and fell asleep. Naruto snorted lightly. If anyone could fall asleep just like that, it was Kakashi-sensei.

Naruto crawled over to Sasuke and sat beside him, knowing full well that if Sasuke were to wake up and get the chains off, he'd be dead.

_Oh, well…_ he thought. _It's worth it._

He tilted his head so that he could look at the raven, and sighed.

"I hate having to do this to you, Sasuke…" He muttered.

"Then don't." It was a simple answer, one that even idiot Naruto could come up with. But still, it rang out, as though it was echoing off the very fabric of time.

"Sasuke…" Naruto sighed, then blinked. "You… You shouldn't be awake… How-"

"Kakashi didn't realize that one of the things I've done over these three years is develop a slight immunity to poisons. He just happened to use the one Orochimaru tested me with." Sasuke shrugged, and pulled the chains off quietly, so as not to wake Kakashi up.

"But… Sasuke… Don't go again…" Naruto was too stunned to get out a complete idea in one go, but he tried. "I'll…"

"Naruto." Sasuke said quietly as he stood. "I need to. You know that. But I swear I'll come back."

"Sasuke…?" Naruto tilted his head, and Sasuke smirked. He bent down, so that he was eye to eye with the blond, and said, "I love you, dobe."

Naruto's eyes widened, his face taking on a slightly reddish tinge. Sasuke laughed quietly, crouching, and using Naruto for support. He leaned into the boy, and whispered, "And I always will."

At that, Naruto took the raven's face in his hands, one palm on either side, and looked into his eyes. "You promise?" He whispered. By this point, his face was no longer red. He wasn't embarrassed, or angry, or anything. He simply wanted a 'Yes'.

"Of course." Sasuke nodded, and wrapped his arms around the boy.

"Well, then, can you at least stay until tomorrow morning so they don't eat me alive?"

"I can stay as long as you want." Sasuke said, then corrected himself. "Well, you know."

And yes, Naruto _did_, in fact, know. But that didn't mean he had to like it. "Sasuke…" He muttered, and looked up at the clock on the wall. "It's Sakura's turn…"

"I'll come to you when she's distracted." Sasuke was obviously unhappy with Sakura replacing Naruto's spot, but he was patient.

"Okay. My room's next door, on the left."

"Naruto?"

"Mmhmm?" Naruto stood to leave.

"I love you." Sasuke smiled a small, half smile, but it was enough.

"… Me, too." Naruto grinned back, and left to wake up Sakura while Sasuke quickly wrapped himself back up, and tried to compose himself enough to put his serene mask back on.

_Jeez, can't even get _that_ out…_ Naruto thought bitterly as he shook Sakura awake.

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**A/N:**

Yupyup, here's the first epic Yaoi scene~ Hopefully, we'll be able to sneak a lemon scene in the next chapter, with Sakura and Kakashi~  
But, if not, I can garuntee one when we go back to Naruto and Sasuke. :3


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